New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-16
BITS or WESTERN LIFE.
EXPERIENCES OF GENERAL ANKENY AND
COMMISSIONER OBERLY.


An Iowa man who has been spending some time In
NewYor1 is General Rollin " Ankeny, Of Des Moines
q round shoudcIed and blue eyed Dian He Is full "
energy and talks like triphammer both as regards
rapidly and force General Ankeny has lived In three
states-Ohio. Illinois and Iowa. He has brilliant
war record and carries his body the scars Of a
score OF wounds. He Is engaged In contracting and
railroad building, IN wi cb he has had an extensi'e
and lucrative experience. IIo Is an ardent Rcpubllcan
and so strong In his patriotism that when the Rebo
flag question under discussion he grows excited
to tho pitch OF debating that Le Is ready to $50 the
war fought again rather than let n single nag
DO returned
General Ankeny's Repubcanism first displayed
under peculiar and trying circumstances. lie was
born and reared In Holmes County, Ohio, which has
been noted as hotbed Of Democracy, Copperheadsm
and knights Of the Golden Circle. General Ankeny's
father aud most Of his relatives Democrats. His
sympathics in the Iarty were with Franklin
Pierce, and when, no thought tho party driited
away from Performance Of the pledges under which
Pierce elected he began to assert his independ
once Ilc kclt at that time the only drug store In
Holmes County and fairly prosperous His dccla
ration OF Republic .nsm followed 10y ostracsm IN
social life and utter ruin IN his business. The leading
Democrats IN the county encouraged Democrat TO
up rN al dIue stole. Anheny was d.Nen ont of
business and out OF the county, rms was as carry as
lo5i, but be he went away he had organized such
a lepubllcan vote In the county ibat IL enabled what
was then tho Mount Vernon District TO elect
elublican cong essnan In the person 0f Nillan ~
bapl, WLlCh OF tho earliest NlctOflcs III
Ii anH Il " "
In talking about Holmes County, General Ankeny re-
lated Incident the ucl OF what was Known as
tho fsht at Fort Flzzle. The Rebel sympathzcrs IN
Holmes County wcro hume Gus that they Thought
themselves abo to start small rebellion at home
They organized military force and erected fort ON
tho hills above the Klbuck alley, some miles ON
Mnlcsbu <, where they announced tEcir intention OF
wit!standlng tho drat They accumulated at this
Dolu a st of
for Interior pu pose tho formation OF military base
for General John Morgan, tho KENTUCKY raider, VINO
sho.ty atcrward entered ohio. Tho authorities sent
trOo to sIuclch this lttio rebellion. fight took
Laco which five six tho occupants OF The Ort
were so> crcy wounded and tho rest were dispc scd
ono OF tho officers at Fort FIz1c was Jim" Butler,
who had been a boy con panOn and friend to Gene al
Anhcny. Butler ono % the wounded len OF
tNel>o gears after tho war General Anheny was IN
MnlcrsDu ., and meeting his old irienu Buuer waled
down tho street with II wac ANXIOUS TO lind
out all about my old acquaintance, sad tho Genefa
land bee 10 AK jim aitcr THIS anu .lse quo
when | noticed that he walled with a decdcd lump
aid c an TO ~ HIM With Question. as to tse cause sc III
bo had iaIrd. 10 vas the natural Impulse VI an 0iu
soldier with ono whom he SUI pose TO be com aie
Butler surprised mo by turning about ana saSng Win
tears his eyes: General. didn't you know was
tho adjutant at Fort t1nle would give halt OF my
a. you received yours. fighting for my country under
the glorious star, and Stripe was a iooi, W." 80
Il. ! know that you didn't intend to Insult me oy
questions | WOULDN'T NO ediu tnls hiuNh w
you "
When "Bishop" Obey, United States civil service
Commissioner, WAS here during tho week he feii INTO
conversation about the bitter ATTACKS being made
upon him by members OF tic Democratic state asSoca
ton, on account Of his letter to the Illinois Demo
c. attic Association. IIo said with good hunOr: III
Is something remarkable that IN the course o year
should have drawn down me the bitter Remuneration
first Of Republicans and then Of Democrats The
extremity OF this opposition Is illustrated by an mci-
dent that occurred in my own family. When We were
engaged In mailing rules for the War De- aItmehe
Was dcluged with letters, numt ca OF which were
nnonymou, and threatened mo with personal vlOiehce'
They were discussed In my family ana some o' inc
children wcro alarmed over my PERSONAL SAFETY mink
INC prrhap. thai sOmc " tho wilGcyed and e1clted
men wro were disturbed over the iuies might attack
me There as such los-lbnity, Confess, nus
I vas never much alarmed over II. Alter my ietto'
10 the Illinois ASSOCIATION had iccn rubllsheh GOV a
now round o, Threatening letters. which ere slHn1 y
tailed ahout at home. one Saturia after my WORN
vas done ! was detained down street ana dld NOT ee'
mn Ia tho house FOL dinner IL was nearly ii O'CLOCK
,lbcn I 20, homo Of the first things he'rh was
ha, one OF my girls I'm the course Of the evening"
,ucr a long brown study looked up to her mother
,nh shedding IN reference TO my 6etentOn asked:
:. Mann a, DO you suppose that the Democrats have
lIIsII nan